Flying with a trombone
 

I asked this question a few weeks ago in the Southwest forum and got some good responses as far as people who have done this with Southwest, but I wanted to ask if anyone had any experiences with Delta as well.

Has anyone had experience bringing a trombone on-board and putting it in the carry-on bins on Delta? I know some airlines waive their normal overhead size limits for musical instruments as long as they will physically fit in the bin--does Delta do this? Will a normal tenor trombone, 8.5" bell, fit (presumably it'd have to go lengthwise)?

Shall we assume that you don't want to purchase an extra seat for your musical instrument?

That would be preferable, yes. I haven't ruled it out, but carry-on is preferable if it's actually a workable and available alternative.

From:
https://www.delta.com/content/www/en...ial-items.html

Musical instruments and/or equipment are accepted as checked baggage, carry-on baggage or cabin-seat baggage — depending on its size and shape — on Delta and Delta Connection® carriers flights¹. Please help us to keep your instrument safe by bringing it in a hard-shell case.

What Instruments Can I Check?

Musical instruments or equipment can be checked if the total linear dimension (length + width + height) does not exceed 150 inches (381 cm), and provided the weight, including the case, does not exceed 165lbs (75 kg).

See standard rules and fees for overweight and oversized baggage.

What Instruments Can I Carry On?

Guitars and other smaller musical instruments, such as violins, will be accepted as your free carry-on baggage item on Delta and Delta Connection® carriers flights¹. These items must easily fit in the overhead bin or other approved storage location in the cabin, based on available space at the time of boarding. Musical instruments may be gate claimed at the discretion of the passenger and as a result of limited overhead space.

What Instruments Might Need Their Own Seat?

You may purchase a full fare ticket for an item that you feel is too fragile to be handled as checked baggage. You may stow the baggage in any passenger seat with a bulkhead or divider in front of the compartment. The following restrictions apply. The item must:
•not exceed 165 lbs (75 kg)
•be packaged or covered in a way to avoid injury to other passengers
•be properly secured by a seatbelt to avoid shifting during flight
•not restrict access to, or use of, any required emergency or regular exits or aisle of the cabin
•not obscure any passenger's view of seatbelt, no smoking or exit signs
•not contain dangerous goods
•be secured in a seat in the same cabin as the owner and preferably next to the owner

For pricing information, contact Reservations.

1Codeshare partner baggage policies may differ. Not valid for travel to and from the United Kingdom.

I think the diameter of the bell is not really the critical issue here! ;)

Flying with a trombone
 

It will fit. Most of my friends fly with a soft case or a Marcus bonna case, if the case won't fit, they take it out and put it in overhead... But it pretty much always fits. They can also put it in the closet if the plane has one.

It will fit and you shouldn't have any problems. The F/As might even offer to put it in the closet.

Always nice too see another trombone player! My worst memory is of my slide falling off into sand during a very fast run in college. Second worst memory was having to learn melo to march DCI. A valve instrument.....the horrors!

I think they might make you sign a statement guaranteeing that you won't play it during the flight!

That won't work, because what about the cornets?

Speak to the FA before and maybe they'll announce it as one of the inflight entertainment options!

Unfortunately my trombone mostly collects dust nowadays.

Flying with a trombone
 

There may be room for at least one trombone in the overhead, but not for the other 75...

Thanks for the info, everyone. I'm aware of the policies and all of that, but policy and reality of making it happen are not always the same thing, so I especially appreciate the input of people who have actually done this.

On Southwest (which I usually fly, except occasionally when I'm able to find a Delta business or first-class ticket within $100 or so of what I pay on Southwest, which does happen sometimes), the overhead bins aren't deep enough to hold a trombone lengthwise, but there also is no divider between what are, by their doors, two separate bins, so if you angle it right while you're putting it in you could possibly get a trombone in there lengthwise. Wasn't sure if that was the case on Delta or not.

Are you saying they'll take the trombone itself out of the case?